Matt Campbell has swiftly put together his first offensive coaching staff at Penn State, bringing several familiar faces from his time at Iowa State. After a disappointing 7-6 record in 2025, Campbell retained only two of the existing coaches, Terry Smith, the associate head coach and cornerbacks coach, and Justin Lustig, the special teams coordinator. Despite this, he successfully filled his staff with talented individuals.
One of the key additions is Taylor Mouser, who served as the offensive coordinator at Iowa State for the past two seasons. Under his leadership, the Cyclones averaged 31.1 points per game in 2024, marking one of the best offensive performances in the program”s history. Mouser played a significant role in developing NFL talents such as Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, both of whom are currently making an impact with the Houston Texans. His final season at Iowa State saw him recognized as the tight ends coach of the year by FootballScoop.
Ryan Clanton joins the staff as the offensive line coach, having spent the last three seasons in that role at Iowa State, where he also served as the run-game coordinator. Clanton”s coaching has led to a substantial improvement in the Cyclones” rushing statistics, increasing their average from 108 rushing yards per game to 174.5 over the last two seasons. His offensive line allowed only 51 sacks combined from 2023 to 2025, ranking among the best in the Power Four teams during that period. He has a history of developing talented offensive linemen, including Jalen Travis, who became the first Iowa State offensive lineman drafted since 2013.
Another significant addition is Jake Waters, who brings six years of coaching experience from Iowa State, including two as the quarterbacks coach. He played a crucial role in the development of new Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, who has thrown for over 9,000 career yards. Waters previously started for Kansas State, where he earned All-Big 12 honors.
Noah Pauley, recognized as the receivers coach of the year in 2024 by FootballScoop, has also joined the staff. He was instrumental in mentoring the Cyclones” receiving corps, helping them achieve historic milestones. His coaching led to both Higgins and Noel becoming the first duo in Iowa State history to each register 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. Pauley has a solid background as a former player and coach at Minnesota-Duluth.
Lastly, Savon Huggins is the only coach who did not come from Iowa State, having spent the previous four years at Boston College. During his time there, he oversaw a successful run game. Huggins has a personal connection to Penn State, having been a former recruiting target.
This new offensive coaching staff represents Campbell”s commitment to revitalizing Penn State”s football program and returning it to a competitive state.
